Folding crate.



PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

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2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTED JUNE 30, 1908.

W. H. GODDARD. FOLDING CRATE. APPLIOATION FILED JULY 9, 1907.

2 SHBETSSHBET Z.

. a J M d 0 N J UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLARD H. GODDARD, OF GRESTON, IOWA.

FOLDING CRATE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it'known that I, I/VlLLARD H. GoDDARD, citizen of the United States,residing at Creston, in the county of Union and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Crates, of whichthel following is a specification.

The present invention relates to improvements in crates of thatcharacter which are commonly employed for the transportation of poultryand the like, and aims to provide an improved construction whereby thecrate can be collapsed when empty and returned to the shipper at reducedrates.

A further object of the invention is to design a simple and inexpensivecrate of this type which is of durable construction and wil be perfectlyrigid when locked in a distended position.

For a full understandinfr of the invention and the merits thereof andalso to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and of themeans for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the followingdescription and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crate embodying the invention, thesame being shown in a distended position; Fig. 2 is a transversesectional view through the crate; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionalview through the same Fig. 4 is an end view of the crate when folded 5Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the L members secured to the sides ofthe crate for engaging the ends thereof 5 and, Fig. 6 is a similar viewof one of the U-shaped clips carried by the sides for engaging theintermediate partition.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

`The Anumeral 1 designates the bottom of the crate which is shown asrectangular in shape and is provided at its opposite ends with theupwardly extending end strips 2. The sides of the bottom are alsoprovided with the upwardly extending longitudinal strips 3 which aresomewhat higher than the before mention'ed end strips 2. The two ends ofthe crate are similar in construction and are loosely connected to theend strips 2 so as to fold inwardly between the side strips 3. Each ofthe ends comprises a plurality of spaced slats 4 having theirextremities secured between the strips 5 of strap iron or similarmaterial, the inner strips 5 of each end Specification of LettersPatent.

Application filed July 9, 1907.

Patented June 30, 1908.

Serial No. 382,848.

being hinged to the plates 6 secured to the inner faces of the endstrips 2, while the lowei` ends of the outer strips 5 are designed toengage the end strips 2 for the purpose of limiting the swingingmovement of the ends of the crate. The side strips 3 are secured to thebottom 1 by means of a plurality of pairs of eye bolts 7 extendingthrough the two members, the said eye bolts also engaging transversereinforcing bars extending across the bottom of the crate. Each pair ofthe eye bolts 7 is connected by a bolt or pivot pin 9 upon which thesides of the crate are hinged. Each of the sides of the crate comprisesa plurality of spaced and parallel slats 10 secured at their endportions and at intermediate portions between transverse strips 11, thelatter being formed by doubling a piece of strap iron or like materialupon itself,

the curved ends thereof extending slightly above the top slat andreceiving a .longitudinal rod 12 while the lower ends of the innerstrips are bent to form sleeves loosely receiving the bolts 9.

The two oppositely disposed side strips 3 are connected toward theirlower portions by a rod 13 upon which the middle partition 14 ispivoted, the latter being designed to be folded against the bottom 1 andbeing similar in construction to the sides and ends of the crate,comprising a plurality of spaced slats connected by metallic strips. Thetwo sides of the crate each carry upon their inner faces clips 15designed to embrace the edges of the intermediate partition 14 'for thepurpose of holding the same rigidly in an upright position when thecrate is distended. These clips 15 may be in the nature of U-shapedmembers riveted or otherwise rigidly secured tothe intermediate strip 11of the sides of the crate. Projections 16 extend. inwardly from theopposite ends of the crate sides and are designed to be received betweenthe strip 5 of the ends of the crate in order to hold the latter rigidlyin an upright position when the crate is distended. In the presentinstance, these projections 16 each constitute one arm of an L-shapedmember, the opposite arm of which is secured to one of the end strips 11of the crate sides.

The top of the crate is formed in two sections 17 and 18 hinged to theupper edges of the crate sides, the section 18 being preferably somewhatnarrower than the section 17. Each of the sections comprises a pluralityof spaced slats connected at their ends and at an intermediate portionby strips 19 secured to the opposite sides thereof, the said stripsbeing formed by doubling a piece of strap iron, or similar material uponitself, the looped ends of the members thus provided being located4 atthe outer edges of the top sections and receiving the before mentionedrods 12 carried by the sides, while the inner ends project slightlybeyond the inner slats and engage each other, the ends of one of the topsections being received between the ends rojecting from the opposite topsection, and ocking pins being utilized to hold the sections together,the said locking pins 20 p assing through corresponding openings in theprojecting portions of the strips 19. If found desirable, chains orsimilar members 21 may be utilized for securing the locking pins 2O tothe crate whereby the same will be prevented from becoming lost. Whenthe sections 17 and 18 of the top of the crate are thereby lockedtogether, the sides of the crate are prevented from swinging outwardlyand are held against the ends and middle partition, the projections 16locking the ends against swinging movement while the clips 15 hold themiddle partition against swinging movement. Upon removing the lockingpin 20, however, the sides of the crate can be swung outwardly todisengage the projections 16 and clips 15 from the ends and middlepartition, respectively, and the latter mentioned members can then befolded between the side strips 3. One of the sides and the smallersection 18 of the top hinged thereto are then folded inwardly againstthe ends of the crate and the opposite side and larger section 17 of thetop folded inwardly upon the previously mentioned members. For thepurpose of locking the crate in a folded position, tie members 22 aresecured to one of the side strips 3, each of said tie members comprisingan eye designed to extend between the projecting ends of the strips 19of the section 17 of the top and receive the corresponding locking pin20.

One of the slats 23 of the top of the crate is made removable tofacilitate placing of the fowls within the crate or removing themtherefrom, and the said slat 23 is slidable between the strips 19 andnormally locked in position by a key 24 passing through correspondingopenings in the said slat and intermediate strips 19.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In a crate, the combination of a bottom, swinging ends carried by thebottom and comprising slats received between pairs of transverse strips,one of the transverse strips of each pair constituting a hinge memberwhile the opposite transverse strip of each pair constitutes a stop tolimit the swinging movement of the ends, swinging sides carried by thebottom, and means for holding the sides and ends in a distendedposition.

-tions 2. In a crate, the combination of a bottom, swinging ends carriedby the bottom, swinging .sides carried by the bottom and having aninterlocking connection with the ends when distended, cover sectionshinged to the .sides and each comprising slats connected by transversestrips, the said strips proj ectingv beyond the inner edges of the coversections and overlapping each other when the cover sections are innormal position, locking pins for holding the overlapping ends of thestrips together, and tie members carried by the bottom and provided witheyes designed to engage the locking pins to hold the' crate in a foldedposition.

3. In a crate, the combination of a bottom, swinging ends carried by thebottom, swinging sides carried by the bottom, projections upon the sidesdesigned to have an interlocking connection with the ends, and coversechinged to the sides, each ofthe cover sections comprising spacedslats received between transverse strips, the ends of the stripsprojecting beyond the inner edges the cover sections and the endscarried by one section being received by the ends carried by theopposite section, and locking pins passing through correspondingopenings in the said ends of the strips.

4. In a crate, the combination of a bottom, swinging ends carried by thebottom, swinging sides carried by the bottom and having an interlockingconnection with the ends when distended, cover sections hinged to thesides and each comprising a plurality of spaced slats received betweentransverse strips, the said strips projecting beyond the inner edges ofthe cover sections and the ends of the strips upon one section beingreceived between the ends of the strips upon the opposite section,locking pins designed to pass through corresponding openings in the saidends of the strips, and tie members carried by the bottom and providedwith eyes designed to engage the locking pins to lock the crate in afolded position.

5. In a crate, the combination of a bottom provided with end strips andside strips, hinged plates secured to the end strips, ends comprisingspaced slats received between transverse strips, the inner strips beinghinged to the before mentioned plates while the outer strips aredesigned to engage the said end strips to limit the swinging movement ofthe ends, sides loosely connected to the side strips and having aninterlocking connection with the ends, and means for holding the sidesand ends in engagement with each other.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLARD H. GODDARD. [1.. a] IVitnesses:

ARLA POTTER, GEO. J. BARTH.

